AI is totes amaze-balls. I'm talking about generative AI, like Gemini and ChatGeppetto. There's other types, like AI for controlling NPCs in games, but let's talk about the generatives.
AI can help or harm your learning, depending on how you use it. Here's the bottom line from learning research:
The one that does the thinking does the learning.
OK, sounds obvious. If you don't practice you won't learn. If you get an AI to do your work, you won't learn.
Your choice
Here's something you need to decide:
Do you want to have skills or just pretend you have skills?
If you pretend, you're just like millions of other people. Nothing to make you worth paying well. They can make pizzas as well as you can.
Don't think others won't figure it out. They will. Like people in later courses, when you're on a group project. You got a good grade in Python, so you must know it, right? But when you sit down with Joe and Sarah to do something...
They'll know. Will they keep your ignorance a secret? Why would they?
Or you could actually learn how to do something. Even if you don't end up doing exactly that thing in your job, it can help you with related things. For example, being a project manager is easier if you understand what the people you're managing are doing.
Cheating is easy right now
Here's the thing. AI makes cheating easy. You know it. I know it. Employers know it. Some have stopped doing online interviews with programming tests. They make you show up physically, and test you in a secure room.
OU will figure out ways to make AI cheating harder. But you're here right now. Right now, many people don't trust grades. Even if you didn't cheat, interviewers will suspect you of it.
"But I have to cheat! I'm working a full-time job and don't have time to study!"
I hear you. You're getting a raw deal. Tuition is high. AI is taking jobs. It isn't fair.
You're right.
You still have to choose.
This course is designed to take about 120 - 150 hours over the semester. That's 8 hours per week, roughly.
It's also designed so an average person who has never programmed before can do well. If you do what I ask - read stuff, do exercises - the chances of your getting an A or B are high, like 80-90%.
How can I make that promise? First, the course uses best practices from learning research. We know how to build effective courses. It's not necessarily easy but we know how. If you're interested, there's a list of some useful books on the subject.
Second, I've been using this format for years, for this and other courses. This is the third version of the lesson/exercise/feedback system. It's worked reliably for a decade. Hundreds of people like you have succeeded. You can, too.
You're not alone. Remember, if you have trouble, I'm here to help. I mean it. I want you to succeed.
You CAN learn, and you can got a good grade, but you have to do the work. It's up to you.
Using AI in this course
AI can still help. Don't let it do work for you, but it can help when you get stuck.
Here are two ways.
Explanations
This textbook-like-thing explains things better than most textbooks, with simple language and many examples. Still, the explanations don't work all the time for everyone.
One way to use AI is to ask for explanations. As you read, you'll see suggestions for prompts you can copy-and-paste into your fave AI beast. You'll have to change the prompts sometimes, but they'll get you started.
Here's an example you can paste into your fave AI beast.
AI prompt
Please explain why this code doesn't check that age is less than 50.
- age = float(input('How old are you? '))
- if age >= 21:
- print('Welcome! Bring your money inside.')
- if age >= 50:
- print("There's prune juice in a quiet room in the back.")
- else:
- print("Sorry, you're not allowed in yet.")
There are some issues here.
- The explanations AIs generate are often worse than the ones in this book. If you don't understand what your AI beast is saying, give it an extra prompt like "Simplify that explanation." You might have to play around to get something you can use.
- AIs use code examples from all over the web, including advanced stuff you won't be able to understand.
This course is designed with human brains in mind, to make it easier to learn (did I mention easy is good?). One way it does that is just cover the most important concepts, rather than trying to squash everything in.
AIs aren't tuned for that.
Remember, I'm online a lot, so you can ask me. That's why I'm there. The schedule is on Moodle.
BTW, if you work out useful prompts, please share them in the Moodle forum.
Debugging
Be very careful here. You can paste code that isn't working into an AI beast, and ask why.
Problem is, squishing bugs helps you learn, more than most other things. If you have an AI do it, you won't get the benefit.
A suggestion. If your code doesn't work, start a 15 minute timer. Try to work it out yourself. You'll fix most problems in that time. After that, you can ask an AI.
Really try. Don't just read the code through again. Do things that will help you work out where the error is, like checking the values of variables. You'll learn how to do that later. Spyder makes it easy. (Easy is...)
Be careful. You can sabotage your own learning. You'll undermine the value of the course.
Remember, I'm online a lot. Ask me for help. If I didn't want to help you, I wouldn't be there. I want to make this course worth the tuition. If you get stuck, please ask.
Things have changed
AI beasts are changing brain work, like learning and programming. You can't treat learning like you did before, relying on other people to put in all the checks and balances.
You are more responsible for your learning than ever. I can help, but not if you undermine yourself.
You can cheat and get good grades. Easy. Get an AI to do with work for you. Paste in an exercise, and tell ChatGeppetto to write the code.
Will that lead to the life you want?